The verdict: Beautiful all over, brilliant in parts, bloody awful in others - but never boring.

The results: 3 stars (out of 5).

Mid-size wagons are huge business in Europe, where the locals somehow seem to be able to live with less interior acreage than Australians.

Many popular Euro-wagons don't even make it here because sales volumes would be too small to warrant the effort.

This is a pity, because they provide, if not outright space, at least a cleverly designed interior which gives you plenty of gear and passenger options, without the usual large wagon performance and driving enjoyment compromises.

Alfa Romeo's 156 Sportwagon is a prime example. It's built on the 156 sedan platform, with different architecture behind the centre pillar. It uses the same 2.0-litre Twin Spark engine, transmissions and running gear, so on the road you lose none of that wonderful communicative, enthusiastic Alfa character.

Inside, the Sportwagon is not what we'd call spacious - think of it as a large hatchback - but it is certainly space-efficient.

The Sportwagon is also generously equipped and sharply priced at $48,500 for the five-speed manual or $51,500 for the Selespeed five-speed sequential transmission.

Local Alfa importer Ateco Automotive pays for its stock in euros - one of the few currencies against which our dollar has gained over the past 12 months - hence the strong value-for-money appeal of the 156 range at present.

Despite being around for decades, the 2.0-litre Twin Spark (two plugs per cylinder) engine has been kept up-to-date. The latest version features balance shafts, four valves per cylinder plus variable valve timing and inlet tracts.

Under 3,000 rpm, the 2.0-litre isn't interested in hauling the higher gears with purpose, though it will at least hang on to fifth on the highway due to relatively low gearing - at 100km/h it's turning over at 3,000.

Past that mark, the 2.0 throws the go switch and leaps into action. Under hard acceleration through the gears the Twin Spark spins very smoothly to the 7,000rpm redline, with considerably more punch than its 114kW of power suggests and a glorious sound.

A 0-100km/h time of 9.7 seconds is respectably quick; there are plenty of faster cars, but few feel as willing and eager when singing through a set of bends.

The five-speed manual delivers easy, slick changes. But there's a longish throw between the gates and some drivers may find the fat, leather-wrapped lever a bit too far back and low to fall naturally to hand. The clutch is light and precise.

The Sportwagon uses the same independent suspension as the sedan, with slightly firmer springs and dampers at the rear in keeping with its load-carrying intent.

On smooth roads - in the mountains for northern Italy, for example - the Sportwagon is a sweet-handling car for a front-driver.

It is exceptionally taut - the body is as rigid as the sedan - and agile; like the engine, the Alfa's dynamics talk to you with rare clarity, via pin-sharp, accurate steering, fine balance and grippy 205/60 Michelins on 15-inch alloy wheels.

Unfortunately the Sportwagon's handling can also turn messy when the road surface is less than perfect - across most of NSW, for example - descending to diabolical on really crook bitumen. The problem is overly sensitive suspension and steering geometry, plus lack of suspension travel and inappropriate damping.

Steer the Sportwagon into a tight patchy corner or accelerate out and the front suspension crashes against its stops, fails to control wheel movement to the extent required to hold the road properly and basically ties itself in knots. Savage kickback through the wheel is also present, to the point where you can be literally fighting to hang on to the thing.

The 156 sedan tested last year had excellent brakes; the Sportwagon's identical anti-lock set-up had a strange absence of power and midddling pedal pressure.

Like its handling, the Sportwagon's ride is firm but comfortable enough on the smooth bits (the high sidewalls on the Michelins help) but degenerates to harshness and discomfort in the rough.

The driver's seat is a beauty, with proper support from thigh to shoulder and ample padding. A ratchet-type height adjuster and height- and tilt-adjustable head restraint are fitted; a height- and reach-adjustable wheel also caters for different physiques.

The control layout is compact and efficient - apart from the silly VDO in-dash CD-audio head unit which has tiny buttons and hopeless reception. The Sportwagon's elegantly curved one-piece dash features two single pods for the speedo and tachometer; there's little oddment space in the dash and between the front seats.

Standard features in the Sportwagon include front and side airbags for driver and passenger, remote central locking and immobiliser security, electronic front seat belt pre-tensioners, power windows and mirrors and foglights at both ends.

There are two problems in the Australian context: the relatively inefficient air-conditioning system has small vents and takes a while to cool the car on a hot day; the headlights lack spread and penetration on both beams.

The Sportwagon's back seat is deep, well contoured and comfortable for two but, if the front seats are set back, kneeroom is on the tight side. Kids may find the back seat a bit claustrophobic due to the high waistline and small windows.

Smart touches include three head restraints and lap-sash belts. The three child-restraint anchors, set behind the seat, don't interfere with carrying capacity.

The load area is accessed via an internal tailgate release (which didn't work on the test car) and a button on the remote. The tailgate is hinged 30cm into the roof, so the rear opening is easily able to swallow large objects.

There's almost a metre of floor between the back seat and tailgate, but it is quite narrow between the suspension strut towers.

The Sportwagon is comprehensively equipped for carrying gear with four tie-down hooks, two covered bins, a roll-out blind and a net which can be moved to several positions. A mesh barrier also rolls out of the blind housing and clips easily to the roof.

The 60-40 split-folding rear seat easily double-folds for an extended flat floor of 1.5 metres; a small porthole in the centre of the seat caters for long objects.

Under the floor is a space-saver spare; turn the floor panel over and you have a waterproof recess for carrying wet gear.

The Alfa 156 Sportwagon is a compact, cleverly designed wagon which is also a ball to drive - on the right road. Like the sedan, it is beautiful to look at and an intensely tactile, involving piece. When you buy a wagon, you're supposed to be through with these sensory pleasures; the Alfa at least allows you to carry the load and enjoy yourself.